Go to the end of the universe and turn left
by EA Thomas
Summary: A new series of Stargate starts with a crash, a bang and a long line of secrets and lies...but not necessarily in that order....Reviews are greatly appreciated!
1. Chapter 1

Go to the end of the universe and turn left…that's me.

**May 2005…**

Sergeant Georgia brooks woke up before sunrise and saw the red numbers glowing in the dark-- they were mocking her. 0245…_not getting any more sleep today_…she thought, rolling over in bed. As she moved, two strong sleepy arms wrapped around and without waking Wade Cooper pulled his fiancé into his chest where she rested her chin on his arm and watched him. She loved to watch him sleep. He was beautiful like this and even more amazingly beautiful when he was awake but it was when Coop slept that she could see the side he had long ago locked within himself. That part of him that war and death had pushed so far away, she feared he would never be able to find his way back to her. But here they were, side by side again and more in love than the other ten times they had tried to make a go of it. Something always came up…she was too scared; he was too damaged…but now, they had both let go of their tortured pasts and as she looked down at her shimmering engagement ring Georgia could only think about the next few weeks…the wedding wasn't far off and as much as she cherished the day to come, she also wished they could just be married already. In the smallest corner of her heart she saw their wedding as nothing more than one more heart breaking moment where her parents should have been present but as she learned as a child, no amount of wishing can bring anyone back from death.

"Morning beautiful, " Coop said nuzzling her neck as he trailed a line of kisses down to her collar bone. "Did the alarm already go off?"

"No, it's early, zero three…something," she said, loosing concentration as his lips trailed down to the collar of her nightgown. She couldn't help but giggle a little at his frustration.

"Hey, what's that?" he asked, tugging gently at the collar as if it were some foreign object that had no business being in their bed.

"It's called winter in Colorado."

"Is it at least one of mine?"

"Of course, I'm not going to sleep in one of my t-shirts…they're too small."

Coop pulled her under him as their conversation continued. "See, I disagree. I happen to think your t-shirts fit you perfectly fine. They show off all your nooks and cranies."

"Cranies? What am I? An English muffin?"

"Okay, not cranies…curvy bits?" he suggested, but Georgia shook her head. "Hmm, nooks and knobs?" This one got a hard laugh out of Georgia and Coop lifted up her shirt to get a better look. "How about…curves and angles?" he asked, kissing her stomach.

Georgia rolled her eyes but couldn't help smiling. "What ever, as long as you don't call them that in front of the guys, eh?"

"Oh, in front of _the guys_? Says the traitor who isn't around _the guys_ anymore since she got her new fancy job at the boring base."

"It's not my fault I got reassigned."

Coop grinned, "I know…but since you are officially out of the command—that means I get to talk about you at work. I can even tell Brady and Walker how you giggle when I kiss you right…"

"Ha ha! Okay…we don't have THAT much time to lie around…"she blurted out in mid giggle, then pushed him over in bed until she was on top. Coop gave in and settled to have her lying on his chest. "I love you," she whispered, placing a soft kiss on his lips. "At least I have more flexible hours with my new boring job."

Coop nodded, "Yeah…and it would be really nice if I knew what your new job really was."

Georgia pursed her lips. "Just cause you sleep with me doesn't mean I have to tell you _all_ of my secrets," she said, trying her best to joke away the sensitive subject that had been the root of endless arguments of recent months. She pushed back slowly, again trying to ease out of the conversation as she stood from the bed.

"Hey, that's what this marriage thing is about…sharing secrets."

Georgia leaned over him and ran her hand over his fresh buzz cut jar head and kissed his forehead, "If I didn't respect the rules the way I do I wouldn't be the woman you love."

That silenced him on the subject and he watched his beautiful bride to be walk into the bathroom and close the door.

**Area 51 June 2005…**

The glass security doors slid open before Lieutenant Buckman and he griped the case tighter in his hand before navigating his way through the maze of desks and scientific equipment that he wouldn't even pretend to know the name of.

He spotted her right off; of course she would stand out. In a room full of sterile steel furniture and bright white walls—she would be the only red headed Marine in the room.

He stopped behind her and smiled at the mess of short reddish blonde hair that curled at the base of her neck, she had fallen asleep on the desk again, no doubt refusing to leave before he arrived. Not that this surprised him. Nothing in this world or the next could keep Sergeant Georgia Brooks from anything she truly wanted. Not even her wedding. He cleared his throat and Brooks jumped to her feet and spun around to see her friend's eyes beaming back at her.

"You got it?" she asked, straightening her uniform. This dungeon was a bad influence on her. In her early days in the Marine Corps she would have fallen asleep standing up rather than wrinkle her blouse by falling asleep in a laboratory. "Let me see," she said, reaching for the case. Lt. Buckman lifted the case over her head easily and then behind his back.

"You know the rules, the old man has to okay the process," he said walking around her to a second set of glass doors that were tinted milky white to keep passers by from seeing in. "Go get some coffee and I'll let you know what he says."

Brooks glared up at him. "Yeah…right…coffee," she said, pushing him closer to the doors as she reached around him and hit the call button. A second later the doors turned clear and a middle aged man opened his office door.

Brooks straightened as Colonel Mack glared down at her. "Ah, I see it's arrived." he said, ignoring Brooks excitement.

"Got the all clear from topside, Colonel. The first test group is in route."

Brooks was about to jump out of her skin as the two men spoke. She couldn't stand it any longer. "Colonel, Sir, you haven't cleared my request—"

"And I'm not going to," he said calmly as he read the transfer papers attached to the case.

"Sir—" she said, in a familiar tone that made Lt. Buckman step out from between them.

Colonel Mack locked eyes with her. "I've said it before Brooks, and I'm going to say this one last time. Go get married, do girl things and start a normal life."

Everything straightened in Brooks, even her smile. "Colonel, with all due respect, you know exactly how much of an insult that is and I'm not going to stand here and—"

Colonel Mack slammed the transfer papers on his desk and Brooks stopped talking. "Damn it Georgia, you know what I mean. You're wedding is in two days, why the hell would you want to risk something like this?"

"You are making more out of this than it really is. It's a simple injection and then I'll be off to get married…I'll just have super powers on my honeymoon. Coop won't know what to think." She said, trying to return to her playful tone.

Colonel Mack shook his head. "Don't get me started on how weird it is that you are still calling your husband to be by his last name."

"Changing the subject," she said, almost singing the words.

"I'm the Colonel, I get to change the subject. When you grow up to be a Colonel, you can change the subject. Until then—"

"It's my day," she said, turning back to her forceful tone. "You said I could do anything I wanted to do, that it was my wedding present. This is all I wanted and I'm doing it."

Colonel Mack glared at her. "I thought you'd take the day off and get a manicure or something! Not insist on being in the first test group for ancient gene therapy!" he said stumbling over the words. Sometimes he had to laugh at the names things were given around here.

"Well, you should have known better than that," she said, staring him down.

Lieutenant Buckman stood silently and held back the smile that always pulled at the corner of his mouth when this happened. Clearly Brooks and Colonel Mack didn't have the most professional relationship but it wasn't inappropriate either. It was more of an acknowledgement that the Colonel was in charge…until he disagreed with Brooks. Buckman had often wondered why they fought like this but it was more entertaining than frustrating and so he stood by and waited for one of them to give in. Of course it was always the same; Brooks was going to win.

"I swear, Colonel, Tomorrow I will spend the entire day in a salon getting a mani—petti—whatever. I'll even get my hair done. But today—I want this," she was steadfast in her demand and refused to blink until the Colonel gave in first.

Colonel Mack rolled his eyes. Brooks smiled and followed Buckman out into the lab…it never failed. Once past the door, Brooks let Buckman walk a head and turned back into the office. "Thanks Uncle Mack," she said, grinning ear to ear.

The Colonel said nothing, he just nodded and shooed her away. He could never deny her anything--it was hopeless to try. Ever since the day his best friend died in his arms and begged for him to take his only child in as his own…

The lab was quieter than normal and Brooks started singing in her head as the other test subjects streamed into the room. Eight in all, four men and four women, the youngest of the women came to stand beside her. She had grown acquainted with her a few months earlier when she started working at the base. A civilian with out any rank or permanent job title. It was enough to spark her interest but as with most things at Area-51, it wasn't something she would ever question. In the few conversations they had, neither one of them mentioned their job or qualifications. What a funny world to make friends in.

"Hello, Georgia," the young woman said.

"Hey, Jayne, how's La La land treating you?"

"Oh, you know same thing every day. Save the world and eat tacos for lunch…cure an incurable disease and fall asleep watching the twilight zone."

The two women carried on in a light conversation, both dodging any specifics of their professions and commands. That is until the techs walked in and started prepping them for the injections. One tall man that seemed to be use to ordering around military types told everyone to form a line. He approached each one and marked the date and time before injecting them in the upper part of their right bicep. Georgia watched as he injected Jayne—she couldn't help but think about what Ancient device she would activate first…maybe she could use the healing device…or maybe one of the hand weapons that could throw a grown man across the room—that could come in handy.

The nurse stepped to Georgia's side and silently marked down the time and date before swabbing her arm with alcohol. She watched as the needle disappeared into her arm and she tried not to crack a smile as she felt the liquid burn into her blood stream. When she looked up at the tech, he seemed concerned. "What?" she asked, but couldn't hear her own voice as she spoke. She tried to clear her throat but then her ears started to ring. The tech held her by the shoulders and it appeared that he was talking to her, but she couldn't hear anything except for the ringing…and then all faded to black.

Georgia woke up in a cold isolation room in clothes she didn't remember having on before. The lights were dim and but she could see that she was laying in some sort of medical bed and there were tubes coming and going from her body in more directions than she cared to count.

Her first reaction was to fight and get out of bed but she was met with a heavy wave of nausea when she sat up. She couldn't help but fall back into the bed. Suddenly, the lights came on around her and Colonel Mack stood from the chair he had been sleeping in on the other side of the twelve inches of safety glass that separated them. "Georgia, can you hear me?" He asked, pushing a button on the intercom.

Georgia tried to swallow but her throat was like a desert. "What the hell happened?"

Colonel Mack walked closer to the glass wall separating them. "Take it easy Gigi, there's water on the table next to you. Try to drink some, then we'll start with the questions."

Georgia sat up slowly and glared at her Uncle. The look on his face said it all or worse it said nothing. "What the hell is going on, Uncle Mack?"

"Drink some water," he said again.

"Forget the water, start talking."

He nodded silently. "What's the last thing you remember?"

Georgia rolled her eyes at the question. "Who cares, just tell me what happened!"

Colonel Mack held his hand out to her. "Gigi, just tell me the last thing you remember."

She sighed, "Fine…waiting in line to get injected. What, did I pass out or something? What's with the solitary?"

Colonel Mack closed his eyes as his worst fear came true before his eyes. "Gigi…"

"Oh God, I passed out. Didn't I? Just tell the Doc it's a quirk…I guess I still haven't outgrown—"

"Gigi, you didn't pass out. Just stop for a minute."

"Uncle Mack, what is it?"

"You were injected with the ATA gene therapy…and you lost consciousness immediately after it hit your blood stream. That night-- it was over a month ago."

The world came to a screeching halt around Georgia as she tried to hear what her Uncle was telling her. "A month?" she asked, as the room began to spin around her. She lay back down, part of her needing to rest already and partly because her body was about to give out under her. "Uncle Mack?" she asked as the sealed doors opened behind her and two nurses in hazmat gear walked in. "What the hell?!"

"They're helping Gigi, don't fight them!"

Her Uncle's words echoed around her as the world faded away once again…

**Present day…**

Cup of coffee in hand, Georgia Brooks leaned against the bulkhead and stared out the window at the giant ball of blue that she once called home. She dreaded the trips home, as it were but now the only refuge she had found in recent years was going to be over run with new scientists and military personnel for Atlantis. Normally this too would mean nothing for her, she would just stay in the bowels of the ship where it was quiet until all those bound for the Pegasus galaxy had departed. But no, the braniacs at Stargate Command just had to go and build an even bigger and better intergalactic gate system made out of supergates. But even she had to admit that it was pretty impressive. After the Ori had been blown to hell and back it was only a matter of time until someone came along with an idea to use the overpowering gate system and it only took them a year to put the theory into practice.

But why did her flying spaceship of a home have to make the maiden voyage? Oh right…she forgot, the Daedulus was the only ship left in working order in the Tauri fleet. The rest were still being repaired from being kicked like school children around the playground by the Ori ships when they attacked. _But they got theirs…_

"Doc.?" A voice called from the doorway behind her.

She turned, pushing her hair behind her shoulder as she smiled at the young man walking toward her. "Hey, Brian. Is it time?"

"Just about, Captain says ten minutes but you know how it goes."

"So I've got plenty of time to wonder down to my hole?" she said, reaching to take a down-stuffed jacket from a nearby chair. She pulled it on slowly and zipped up the front halfway before Brian would walk any closer.

"Yes, Ma'am, plenty of time," he said, offering his arm.

She curled her arm around his and smiled up at her assistant. "Brian, you're new so I won't kick you this time. Don't call me Ma'am, it makes me feel old …and that's the one thing that hasn't happened to me yet," she said as they walked out into the hall. "Stick with 'Doc.', I actually earned that title."

The blue eyed man laughed lightly and slowed his pace as they started down the long hallway. She didn't have to walk so slowly anymore, but she knew better than to race him. The last thing she wanted was to be grounded to another wheel chair, so she walked slow and steady at Brian's side until the busyness of the upper decks were well above them and all she heard was the steady hum of the engines.

"I'm fine from here, Brian. I'm just going to stay in my room for the evening. You go have fun. Go see some new faces and come back and tell me all the new stories you hear," she said, walking into her hallway where she knew she would be alone.

Brian paused.

Doc. turned and looked at him. "The Captain ordered you to stay with me, didn't he?" Brian didn't answer. "All right, you any good at Halo?"

"I've put in my fair share of hours," he said, taking her arm again.

"All right, but don't go easy…if you let me win…you're fired."

**Chapter 2**

_**Turn about**_

With one resounding thud, the 4th Marine planetary expedition company announced their arrival as forty-five pairs of steel-toed boots marched down the hall of the Daedalus. This was only a temporary stop, just like they preferred. It was hard to be boxed into a space ship, even if it was just for a few hours as they traveled to the Pegasus galaxy. At least there wasn't any unpacking to be done, just a few hours of sitting around the mess hall.

Colonel Faulkner, the commanding officer of the 4th PEC watched as his men scattered to the winds of the ship, he couldn't blame them everyone wanted a good seat for the show. But as usual, when the crowd cleared there was one of his men standing alone, silent and steadfast in his duties. Gunnery Sergeant Wade Cooper never half assed his duties and as the second in command of his newest assignment, he wasn't about to let anything fall through the cracks.

"Gunny," the Colonel said, waving him over.

"Yes sir?" He replied, standing attention.

"How many times have you checked the roster?'

"Six times, Sir," he answered.

Colonel Faulkner's eyebrows arched slightly, here's a clear sign of his state of mind. "Good, that's a nice even number. Put it away and go stare out a window for the next few hours. You'll have plenty of time to obsess about it once we're at Atlantis. And if you want, I'll even let you go over the manifest with Colonel Sheppard when we land."

Gunny Cooper didn't blink. "Sir—"

Colonel Faulkner took the list from him. "Coop, take a break," he said, in a more familiar tone.

Coop braced his hands behind his back. He couldn't stand not to have anything to do with his hands. "Sir, there's still—"

"You are the most irritating son of a bitch in my command you know that? If I told any of the other men in my command to knock off for an hour, it would take them two seconds to get out of my sight."

"That's why you accepted my transfer, Sir."

Colonel Faulkner had to agree. "That and…you're one hell of an NCO. But this has to end at some point. You have to look up from the work, Coop," he could tell he was nearing a sensitive subject and he knew to tread lightly. "We're friends, Coop. That's the only reason I'm saying this. I wouldn't risk getting knocked out for just anyone."

"I'm not going to hit you, you out rank me now."

There was the dark sense of humor he was looking for. Colonel Faulkner cracked a smile. "It's not my fault you stayed in the ranks…you could have crossed over just as easily as I did."

"But then I'd have to deal with arrogant ass holes like you," he said, letting his face resemble a smirk.

"It won't be this hard forever. It took me ten years to stop reaching for Molly when I woke up in the morning," Colonel Faulkner said, trying to address the real issue.

Coop took a hard breath. "We're friends, right?"

"Only when no one else is around, then you mean shit to me."

"Don't mention her again. She's dead, that's the end of it," without so much as a by your leave, Coop turned and walked down the hall to find a nice quiet corner to sit in.

Colonel Faulkner watched him walk away and had a passing thought of sending him back to the SGC. Coop was a risk, he knew that but he was sure that a new command and new surroundings would help him move on from everything he had been through. But he had to remind him self for the hundredth time, this was Wade Cooper—he never did anything the easy way.

_**Chapter 3**_

_**Fair play**_

Georgia woke up on the small blue couch in her room. Must have been Brian's doing, last thing she remembered was sitting on the floor playing Helo with Brian…he did have those little ways of his. She had hated them when he was first assigned. Always insisting on being one step a head of her. But she had to admit he was the best sort of man to have this particularly unique job. Georgia was no easy assignment, and she took every delight in torturing him those first few weeks. She saw the soft brown hair and gentle blue eyes and thought nothing of disobeying his suggestions. But she learned quickly that he took his job seriously and those gentle and understanding eyes had confronted her and confined her more than once in recent months. Perhaps it was her fault; she was feeling restless these days. When this all started she longed for the darkness of her lab and the silence that her solitary existence offered her but now her strength was returning more everyday and she could manage more on her own—but there was Brian, ever present in the shadows or right in front of her pushing her back…holding her back.

She reached for the remote slowly and clicked on the sixty-inch flat screen TV that the government had so happily handed over when she agreed to be assigned to the Daedalus…along with the endless video game equipment and movies that had their own shelves in the closet. She had long suspected that it was General O'Neill's doing but she knew he would never admit to it.

Georgia looked around the dark room and smiled, he even turned off the lights. He's such a babysitter it's almost embarrassing. She pushed off from the couch and zipped up her fluffy down jacket before looking around the room.

"Brian?" she asked sleepily as she fumbled for some coffee in the cabinet but the metal jar was empty. "Just great." She sighed, noticing the time. It was after three, they should have left by now.

She eyed the door and contemplated venturing out to the storage closet for coffee. She was supposed to leave the room unescorted but it was just a little ways down the hall and who knew when Brian would return…

Georgia walked over to the door and her fingers tapped along the handle before pushing it open. _It's just two halls away_…she justified to a silent room. What's the worst that could happen?

She stepped out beyond the doorway and peaked out into the hall. It wouldn't be the first time Brian would stay outside her door waiting to see if she would leave alone. But he wasn't there this time. Not that anyone would be in this part of the ship but she still expected for someone to pop out of the corner and send her back to her room—again, wouldn't be the first time. She began to tiptoe down the hall and turned the first corner when she came face to face with the officer of the guard, _Great time for rounds…_

He stopped and crossed his arms as he reminded himself of his standing orders for this section of the ship. She was to be escorted at all times and he started to say her name but remembered he didn't know it. He had only ever been told to call her one thing. "Hey, Doc." He said with an awkward sense of familiarity that made Georgia stop in her tracks.

She straightened and shoved her hands in her pockets. "Hello Captain." She tried to remain casual but she couldn't help but feel like a deer caught in the headlights of some over powered monster truck.

"Where's your escort?"

"He was gone when I woke up. I was just going to run to the supply closet…I ran out of coffee."

The Captain thought for a moment. He should send her back to her quarters and if he were feeling like a gentleman he would get the coffee himself. But he didn't. "This desk is clear. I'll be your escort," he said turning and waiting for her to walk to his side before continuing to the supply closet. He didn't touch her as they walked in silence—another standing order.

"Thank you for this Captain, " Georgia said, trying to break the silence as they rounded the last corner.

He nearly smiled, "Burrows, Doc. Captain Burrows."

Georgia stopped. "I appreciate you trying but I'm sure you know I can't—"

Captain Burrows held out his hand to stop her. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable. I just wanted you to know…if you should need anything."

"I appreciate that."

Captain Burrows stepped ahead, "come on, let's go get some coffee."

They walked the rest of the way in silence until they reached the supply room and Georgia opened the door. Moments after stepping into the room she burst out laughing.

Along the shelves there were packages of coffee. Caffeinated, decaffeinated and espresso roast. Under the espresso roast was a hand written sign that read, "Doc's Coffee."

Her laughter echoed through the corridor and Captain Burrows pulled the door to. "Not so loud Doc."

She turned and covered her mouth. "Sorry," she whispered, grabbing a bag of coffee before walking out a head of Burrows.

Captain Burrows closed the door behind her and barely started walking up behind her when a voice barreled through the corridor that sent chills up Georgia's spine and her feet froze to the deck. She couldn't move…she didn't have to turn around to know who it was. She could tell by the unguarded shock and anger in the man's voice…and it wasn't Brian.

"Georgia?" The man said again, this time barely a whisper.

Captain Burrows spun about and reached for his sidearm but stopped when he saw a Marine Gunnery Sergeant. "Sergeant, this is a restricted are—"

"It's Gunnery Sergeant and I'm not talking to you. I'm talking to her." He said, pointing at the back of Georgia's red head. "I recognize that laugh anywhere."

Georgia didn't move. She couldn't move, not even to run away.

"Gunnery Sergeant you do not know this woman—"

"What the hell is going on here?!" Brian screamed as he walked up behind Gunnery Sergeant Cooper and stopped between the two men.

Still, Georgia didn't move.

Brian eyed the Gunnery Sergeant, he looked familiar somehow but he couldn't place him. "Captain, escort this man to the brig. He is to be kept silent until I speak with Colonel Caldwell."

Gunny Cooper pulled away from the Captain as he reached for his arm. "What the hell is going on here? Who are you?"

Brian ignored him. "Hey, Captain, how bout brandishing your side arm?"

The Captain put his hand on his weapon and the Gunny turned reluctantly down the opposite way he came.

Georgia still stood like a statue when Brian walked to her side, "Let's go Doc." She didn't move or maybe she didn't even hear him. He bent down to her ear. "I'm not asking."

_**Chapter 4**_

_**The Lies We Tell**_

"I recognize him," Brian said, ushering Georgia into her room a little more hands on than normal.

"What?" she asked, still too lost in her past to deal with the present.

"I said I recognize him."

"How could you?"

Brian left her standing in the middle of the room and he walked over to her small desk in the corner. Without hesitating he started looking over the desk, he was searching for something. "When I first got here, before our little agreement…you had a picture of a man on your desk, it was _him_. Who is he?" He hadn't found the picture but he didn't need to, Georgia knew exactly what he was talking about. She had put all of her personal things away that day they had their first argument. When she truly realized how her life was going to work from then on.

Georgia sat slowly on the couch and held tightly to the side of the cushions. "He was my fiancé," she forced the words out so smoothly she surprised herself. But she knew she would have to say more—there was so much to explain, "we were going to get married but the accident—two days before the wedding." Georgia sat back into the couch and tried to breath but no matter how slow and steady she inhaled her lungs still felt constrained and empty.

Brian stood across the room, staring at the back of her head. He was trying not to yell, that wouldn't help anything right now. He wanted to strangle her, to knock some sense into her as he had wanted to do countless times before but again he knew just what that would do to her…and he forced his temper to settle as he rounded the couch and knelt in front of her. "Tell me you didn't set this up," he said softly, almost pleading…terrified of her answer.

She couldn't hold the tear back anymore and Georgia wiped her face with the back of her hand. "I swear Brian…I haven't spoken to him since the morning I left for work…the day of the accident. He knows nothing—as far as I know."

He took a steady breath, "Doc., if they thought for one moment that you did—somehow sent him a message…to get him here."

"I didn't—I haven't contacted anyone…I swear."

She was crying again, obviously there was more to this than he knew at the moment but he had other duties at the moment—Colonel Caldwell would have to be informed that their top secret stowaway wasn't so secret anymore. "All right, just uh, stay here and try to calm down. I have to go sort this out and talk to the Colonel—do not leave this room." He held up her chin until she nodded in agreement.


	2. The lies we tell

"I recognize him," Brian said, ushering Georgia into her room a little more hands on than normal.

"What?" she asked, still too lost in her past to deal with the present.

"I said I _recognize_ him."

"How could you?"

Brian left her standing in the middle of the room and he walked over to her small desk in the corner. Without hesitating he started looking over the desk, he was searching for something. "When I first got here, before our little agreement…you had a picture of a man on your desk, it was _him_. Who is he?" He hadn't found the picture but he didn't need to, Georgia knew exactly what he was talking about. She had put all of her personal things away that day they had their first argument. When she truly realized how her life was going to work from then on.

Georgia sat slowly on the couch and held tightly to the side of the cushions. "He was my fiancé," she forced the words out so smoothly she surprised herself. But she knew she would have to say more—there was so much to explain, "we were going to get married but the accident—two days before the wedding." Georgia sat back into the couch and tried to breath but no matter how slow and steady she inhaled her lungs still felt constrained and empty.

Brian stood across the room, staring at the back of her head. He was trying not to yell, that wouldn't help anything right now. He wanted to strangle her, to knock some sense into her as he had wanted to do countless times before but again he knew just what that would do to her…and he forced his temper to settle as he rounded the couch and knelt in front of her. "Tell me you didn't set this up," he said softly, almost pleading…terrified of her answer.

She couldn't hold the tear back anymore and Georgia wiped her face with the back of her hand. "I swear Brian…I haven't spoken to him since the morning I left for work…the day of the accident. He knows nothing—as far as I know."

He took a steady breath, "Doc., if they thought for one moment that you did—somehow sent him a message…to get him here."

"I didn't—I haven't contacted anyone…I swear."

She was crying again, obviously there was more to this than he knew at the moment but he had other duties at the moment—Colonel Caldwell would have to be informed that their top secret stowaway wasn't so secret anymore. "All right, just uh, stay here and try to calm down. I have to go sort this out and talk to the Colonel—do not leave this room." He held up her chin until she nodded in agreement.

Brian walked at full speed the entire way to the main decks, only then did he slow to a normal pace so others around him wouldn't suspect anything was out of the normal. On the last elevator trip to the bridge he tugged at his shirt and silently cursed his assignment—he missed his uniform. Civilian clothes offered him a broader area to work in but he did have to admit that he missed the confining parameters of his uniform. He walked differently, stood straighter and even spoke in a deeper voice. Walking around the corridors of the Daedulus in civilian clothes always made him feel like he was walking around his father's ship again; smiling and waving to the crewmen as they walked by and poking his head in to the bridge to see if her could peak over the wheel…and here he was walking up to the bridge about to wave at the Captain, only now he would have a much better story to tell than what happened at school.

He stopped at the entrance of the bridge and waited for the captain to catch sight of him. This is how it always was. No one on board except the captain knew who he was and what his job was and so he waited until Captain Caldwell saw him and nodded. Now he would wait for him in the briefing room.

He didn't wait long. He had only paced the room three times when Colonel Caldwell walked in and closed the door behind him.

"This better be good, do have any idea what's going on up here?" Colonel Caldwell asked, stopping long enough to see the hesitation in Brian's eyes. Then he knew this was no regular check in. "Is she all right?"

"Yes, Sir, but there has been a development; the Ace is _out_ of the hole."

Colonel Caldwell stopped breathing for a moment, he didn't need this. "How in the hell? Who?"

"A Marine Gunnery Sergeant, he just arrived this morning. I had him taken to isolation."

"I can't handle this right now. For once I can actually say there's more important things going on. I need you to settle it until we get to Atlantis."

"Yes, Sir."

Colonel Caldwell turned to leave but stopped when his hand turned the handle. "Is she all right?"

"The short answer is no."

Caldwell backed from the door, he couldn't leave her alone. He would have to do something. "I'll go see Ace, you talk to the Gunnery Sergeant," he said, making himself composed before walking out into the hall.

Another elevator door closed in front of Brian and he was already getting sick and tired of the run around. The last few years had been a breeze and now it felt like the second shoe was falling…hard.

The solitary brig cells were located at the geographical but end of the ship. And Brian couldn't help but see the parallels to his own life as he walked down the lonely hall where one guard stood at the position of attention outside the sound proof room that held the one man that could unravel a government secret…and he just wasn't in the mood.

The sergeant broke his stance and placed his arms behind his back as Brian approached. "He wasn't a problem, Sir."

"Thanks, Sergeant. I'll take it from here." He said, watching the young man walk down the hall. He waited until the guard stepped onto the elevator before he ran his hand over the access pad and opened the door.

He meant to walk in slower, to take his time and perhaps build up some pretense but he couldn't help it. He was in too much of a hurry to get this over with. But when he walked into the brig confinement room, Gunnery Sergeant Cooper looked up from where he sat in the metal chair and Brian could tell he was holding back everything he wanted to say…he was waiting, just like Brian.

Brian had stopped in the middle of the room and when he caught himself he pulled out the second chair and sat across the table from Gunny Cooper. Brian watched him and it was hard to understand how a man of this making could be so torn up by a woman like Doc. But he couldn't think about that, he was there to give orders not to talk things out…he wasn't here to be a moderator.

Brian felt the words come to him and he steadied his hand on the table. "You will remain here until we reach Atlantis. The guards will bring your meals here and you will not talk about the events in the corridor," he took a breath before continuing and Gunny Cooper took the chance to talk over him.

"What the hell are you talking about?"

Brian ignored his comment. "When you are released to Atlantis Command, you will not speak of the events in the corridor. Do you understand these conditions?"

"Drop the bullshit—who ever you are. How the hell is Georgia Brooks alive?" Gunny Cooper let the rage rise in his chest and his right hand tightened around the edge of the table. "Six years ago I'm told she died in a training accident, now I see her alive and well on a space ship. Now I ask you, what the hell is going on?"

Brian knew the Gunny was resisting the urge to pummel him and considering the man's background he did appreciate his control but he couldn't give the man anything than what he had already said. He stood and headed for the door.

"You can't not tell me anything. I have a right to know!" Cooper yelled.

Brian stopped, his hand touching the security pad that opened the door. He stood facing the door and tried to think of anything to ease the man. "Give it time, Gunny."

Gunny Cooper stopped breathing for a moment, had the nameless man actually said something or had he imagined it? "What? Give what time?"

But Brian had already left the room. He closed the door behind him and sealed the lock. He tried to see the situation clearly, he tried to see the orders and not the real people involved but he couldn't help but wonder how this had happened. He knew Doc's history as far as her medical records but he didn't know about this. She had a fiancé, she had a life, he thought she was dead…it suddenly struck him and he felt the physical pain in his chest…he didn't really know Doc at all.

Doctor Georgia Brooks sat in the far corner of her bedroom. The blue cushioned chair she had fallen in to was normally soft and warm but as she sunk deeper into its cushions she only felt the cold steel surrounding her, pressing in around her as the past rose from the ashes of a fire that she had started herself over six years ago.

The prospect of facing all she had pulled from began to press in on her and she doubled over in the chair ignoring the pain rippling up and down her spine and through her legs, she believes she deserves it…for everything she has done.

The steel hatch moaned open and she winced, it sounded more like a prison cell sliding open.

"Hello, Georgia." Colonel Caldwell closed the door behind him and locked the latch. Georgia didn't move from the chair she just pulled her self into the black. He pulled a foot stool over and sat in front of her in silence for a moment then reached out and smoothed her hair over the top of her head. It was still the same color of reddish blonde it had been the day he met her…she had changed so much since then. "I hear you've had a rough day?"

Again, Georgia said nothing. She was still lost in the black.

A strand of hair wrapped between Caldwell's fingers and he smoothed it back into place and settled his hand on her shoulder. He felt her shudder under his touch and he pulled his hand away and chided himself. "I'm sorry, I forget sometimes."

Georgia took a deep breath and let the light back in her eyes but still stared at the floor. "It's okay, Sir. I'm use to you by now," she sat up and pushed her hair to her shoulder.

He smiled at her now and Georgia sat up a little straighter. She wiped the tears from her eyes but their trails turned pick on her pale face.

"I thought these days were over," she said, reaching for a box of tissues on the side table. "Behold, my past has officially risen from the dark shadows to bite me in the ass."

Caldwell couldn't help but smile, "Don't be so dramatic."

"Dramatic? This is not dramatic, this is disobeying orders…this is treason."

"How's that? Did you tell the Gunny you were here? Did you tell him about the last five…six years."

Georgia shook her head, "No."

Caldwell bent his head to meet her eyes and brought her chin back up until she looked at him again. "Then how are you to blame?"

Georgia sighed, "I don't know…but who else?"

Again, Caldwell had fallen into the part of being a rock when she needed to fall on someone. But she never knew when to give in and say help, it was always him that had to pull her by the shoulders and make her let go. He remembered how she was when she first came aboard, she was a woman there was no doubt about that but she was also a child. A scared and hurt child that needed a place to hide away…and he had given her a whole ship to hide on.

"Georgia, when you first came here I agreed to the assignment because I thought this was the best place for you. You were so small then, so scared. You needed the protection. You needed a place to hide but this ship wasn't meant to be a prison or a dungeon. I think you've lost yourself here…so much of your life. Maybe this is the right time to start getting you back into the real world."

"What's the real world?"

"Well, it's not on this ship, that's for sure." Georgia looked out her window and watched the starts drift by. "You could start small, you could start here."

"How do I do that exactly?"

"Take your medication regularly, wear some think gloves—"

"I can't even be around Brian when he has a headache."

"You're making excuses."

"You've seen—"

"The last time was two years ago. When you saw **him** you were fine? Weren't you?" Georgia fell silent. "I was told you were all right."

"It's nothing."

"Did you take—"

She pulled her hands into her jacket, "I didn't need to," she said defensively.

Caldwell pulled her hands flat into his and saw the dried blood from where her finger nails dug into her palms, "Georgia," he said, looking closer at the cuts. "You need to get to the infirmary."

"I'm fine," she said, trying to pull her hands away but Caldwell held tighter.

"Last time I checked, I was in charge around here."

"Sir—"

"I'll send Brian to escort you."

"Where is Brian?"

"He's been talking to your Gunnery Sergeant."

"Oh."

"Georgia, I'll allow you to roam around the ship but until he's off—"

"I understand, Sir. I'll stay in the hole until he's away."

Colonel Caldwell felt her hands relax in his and he let go. "Soon, Georgia, soon we'll get your life back to you. Just wait a few more days," she nodded silently and Caldwell returned the gesture. "All right, I have work to do, get to the infirmary before 1800. We're due at the gates by 1830." Caldwell stood and placed a kiss on top of Georgia's head before walking to the door.

"As soon as Brian shows up…I'll get checked out,"

"Okay," he said in a huff, "Enough with father knows best."

"You're starting to like these little chats aren't you?"

"Are you kidding? I'm an important man…I have a lot of work to do."

"Then what are you doing down here in the butt end of your own ship?"

"Ah, some little trouble maker couldn't let me have one day without some drama."

"Wow, sounds like you should just kick her off the ship."

"Nah…she comes in handy with negations."

She smiled and Caldwell considered that small feat a victory. He stood and headed for the door not saying another word before walking out and closing the hatch behind him. This time Georgia watched the door close…

It wasn't long before Brian showed up. He knocked five times and waited for Georgia to call out that it was okay for him to come in. But it wasn't his normal entry. He wanted to be mad at her, everything in him had been boiling every step he took down the corridor. He didn't understand it and he didn't care. He wanted to know why everything had happened and why she hadn't told him. But when he saw her face, it all faded away. She stood there, across the room with that stupid downy fluff jacket on and forced herself to smile at him and that's when he saw it as clear as day. She had the same look in her eyes that Gunny Cooper had, it was pain. Pure, heart wrenching pain and he didn't know why he hadn't seen it there before.

"Colonel Caldwell wants me to go to the infirmary," she said, holding up her palms for Brian to see.

Brian winced at the blood on her hands. "Doc. What the hell?" he asked, crossing the room but didn't touch her as he looked over her hands. "You have to tell me these things," he looked up and saw the pain in her eyes, she was trying her best to cover it but he could see it…feel it.

"I'm telling you now," she said, pulling her hands away. She watched him and knew he would say something if she didn't stop him. She couldn't think about any of it right now, she couldn't think how Wade Cooper was on the same ship as her let alone that she had been in the same corridor with him and hadn't even turned around to see him. "Don't," she said, a preemptive strike against any questions he may fire up if given the chance.

Brian wanted to ask her a million questions but he didn't. "Come on," he said offering his arm. "Let's go get you checked out."

Doc. was eerily silent on the way to the infirmary but Brian didn't try to pull her out of it. She held his arm the entire elevator ride, until the doors opened and two people stepped on with them. Brian said hello to them but Doc. froze before smiling and softly saying hello. Then she dropped Brian's arm and clamped her hands behind her back.

Three more stops and they stepped off the elevator. Brian walked off but looked back to see Doc standing alone in the elevator. He smiled and held out his hand to her. "Come on." He whispered. She walked out of the elevator and took Brian's arm. "You'll get use to it."

"What?"

"Walking around the ship, being around people; it'll take a little while to get use to it but you will. I'll still be following you around."

"Colonel Caldwell told you?"

Brian pulled her closer as a group of people came towards them. "Of course, he tells me everything."

"Or it was your idea."

Brian guided her into the infirmary. "Don't know what you're talking about Doc."


End file.
